Forestry: Maximizing your return on investment. 

Is there such a thing in Michigan? As near as I can tell, there are none. The DNR just lists references for contacting private foresters for hire.

Other foresters recognize 'high grading' and will blackball the sorry loggers that do it. Majority of foresters would never do it as that degrades the forest quality. Most loggers are honorable enough people to refuse to do it either. It's really the fly-by-night startups with "bubba" that rip off and borderline thieve from unknowing landowners. If you can't afford a forestry consultant, please call your local 'extension office' for assistance.

I've been a forester since 1973. I notice that here in Massachusetts foresters use different methods for how they charge to manage a timber sale. I don't think any method is necessarily wrong- it's all about if the forester is honest. I agree that the hourly method is best- but many forest owners don't like that because they'll consider the hourly rate too high. The hourly rate, for professionals, has to be at least what electricians and plumbers charge, if not doctors and lawyers and that will seem high for walking in their woods. Also, the owners may have some concern that the total number of hours is out of their control. In recent years I charge by the hour and offer an upper limit on the number of hours I'll charge- just to put the owners' minds at ease. I can estimate quite accurately how long it'll take to mark trees, do calculates, prepare all paper work, oversee work, etc. In the past, when working in an area with higher value timber- I charged a flat rate of 15%. But that didn't mean I was marking the best trees and leaving the "junk wood" because I really hate high grading. Regardless of what method to charge is used, either hourly, or by percent, or by acreage- whatever--- the forester might be a crook or not. Having a long and good reputation is important- so the forest owner should evaluate that.

@@JoeZorzin I hacked and squirted a 26,acre parcel in Appalachian ky.

Usually gotta saw one at least twice to get it to market. Just sayin'....you're only halfway there.

Depends on tree species supply and demand,how large the trees are and current stumpage values.

Depends on tree species,tree size,how many trees are planted per acre,are they used for fire wood?,timber or high quality veneers?. But as a guide Sitka spruce is around £7000 per acre but takes around 30-35 years to be at full size.

It is not as simple as your mind is.